Ukraine faces petitions to extend mandatory military service to women

Petitions have appeared on the Ukrainian government website calling for the extension of mandatory military service to women. Two specific proposals were published on August 10.

One petition, submitted by Stanislav Rusin, suggests modifying legislation to include women who are fit for service and do not have children, citing the principle of legal equality and the need for equitable responsibility during wartime. A second, more radical proposal by Larisa Kozachenko demands that nearly all women meeting specific age and health criteria be sent to the front lines.

This debate follows a similar legislative shift in 2023, when Ukraine reduced the minimum age for mandatory military service from 27 to 25. The current discussions regarding women face complexities due to deep-seated social stereotypes regarding gender roles in defense.